Thread cleaner



July 23, 1929. H. J. HuFFoRD THREAD CLEANER Filed Oct. 18, 1928 PatentedJuly 23, 1929.

UNITED STATE HARRY J'. H'UFFORD, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

`'retrasan CLEANER.

Application led October 18, 1928. Serial No. 313,342.

The invention relates to improvements in a thread cleaner of the generaltype in which two longitudinally tapered thread cleaning blades arerelatively adjustable to vary. the distance between them according tothe size of thread to be cleaned, and it is the principal object ol theinvention to provide a new and improved construction for tightly holdingthe blades in relatively adjusted position, in such manner that theycannot by any possibility be moved by an unauthorized person to widenthe space between them. Very often unscrupulous.attendants ofspoolingand analogous machinesprovided with the cleaners, so adj ust theblades as to widely space them, thus produ-cing poor work but permittinggreater production, and hence, meaning more compensation for theattendant who receives her pay according to the amount of threadspooled. .By the use ot'my. invention, such unauthorized adjustments ofthe cleaner to better the pay of the attendant at 4the sacrilice of thecharacter of thread, is positively prevented. y

Very often, a keynopcrated set screw is employed to lock the scrapingblades in relatively adjusted position and heretofore such screw hasbeen so accessible as to make it possible to loosen it by aninstrui'nent other than the proper key. Hence, it has been possible toel'ect unauthorized adjustment of the cleaner. It is another aim ot myinvention however to provide novel meanswhereby the screw is guardedagainst such tampering.

lith the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmat-ter hereinafter described and claimed, description beingaccomplished by reference to the acco1npanying drawing.

F ig. l is a perspective View of a thread cleaner' constructed inaccordance with this invention. i

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view.

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical longitudinal sections on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the directions indicated by the arrows A and Brespectively. i

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 5 5 ot Fig. 2.

The drawing above briefly described il.- lustrates the preferred form ofconstruction and while this construction will be herein specificallyexplained, it is to be understood that within the scope of the inventionas 55 claimed, minor variations may be made.

Thenunieral 6 denotes a substantially4 flat horizontally disposed,U-shaped body whose arms 7 are provided with longitudinal grooves 8 intheir inner edges while the armconnecting portion 9 of said body isprovided with a recess l0 which registers withl said grooves, the topand bottom of the recess and the corresponding `portions of the groovesbeing in common planes. rllhen too,

the outer sides 1l of the grooves 8 are continuous with thecorresponding walls of the recess 10, and for a purpose to appear, theseide walls 11 are at acute angles to the groove bottoms.

The arm-connecting portion of the body 6 is provided with anY integralupstandingv boss 12 having a bore 13 whose lower end is enlarged as at14. A tubular, key-operated set-'screw l5 is threaded in the bore 13 andthe operating key :tor said set screw is shown partially at 16. To guardthis screw against tampering with an instrument other than the key 16,the boss l2 is provided with a continuous imvardly projecting flange 17over received in the recess l0.l Thehoutervedges. of the blades aresomewhat inclined for snug contact with the groove walls 11 andthe-corresponding formations or' the recess- 10, and to compensate forany inaccuracy in manufacture and permit parallel initial setting of theblades '1S-'19, two set screws 21-22 are threaded through the rearportion of the body 6. Screw 21 abuts the inner end of the-blade 18 andscrew 22 abuts the outer longitudinal edge ot .said blade nearsaid `rearend. Att er these screws have been properly set, `their. heads arepreferably iiled oli' so that they cannot be further` molested. Thentoo, these screws are covered by an attaching plate 2.8

and one of a pair of arms 24k projecting from The -plate `23 abuts the`rear endV said plate. of the body 6, the arms 24 contact with thelongitudinal edges of said body, and screws 27 secure said bodyand armstogether.

The inner edges or the blades 18-19 are provided with downwardlyconverging bevels 28-29 respectively. Shoulders 30 are` blade is heldagainst similar shifting.

.formed at the ends of the bevel 28, and an elongated thrust member(preferably a roller) abuts these shoulders at its ends and lies uponboth of the bevels E-29, said thrust member being shown at 31. Thismember projects upwardly from the blades 18 1S) and its ends abutdiametrically opposite portions of the side wall of the bore enlargement14;. Thus, member 31 is held against longitudinal shifting and theshoulders of the blade 18 abut the ends of said member, thi

washer 32 lies upon the member 31 and is re ceived in the boreenlargementJ 111 and when this washer is forced tightly down by the setscrew 15, not only are the blades 18 19 forced downwardly against thegroove and recess bottoms, but the bevels exert a spread" ing force onsaid blades, Y thereby tightly crowding their outer edges against thegroove walls 11 and the corresponding formations of the recess 10, andthe acute angular formaltions at the outer edges ofthe blades co-act ywith the similar 'formations of the body 6 in augmenting ,tight'clampingof the blades and .insuring that they shall bear solidly upon the lowerwalls of the grooves.

The beveled portion 29 of the blade 19 is gradually thickened toward itsrear end. Hence, by no possibility cany this blade be pulled outwardlyor forwardly to increase the space 20, as in order to do so, the bevelmust raise the member 31 and this vcannot be done with the l.washer 32and the set screw 15 in operative position. Loosening of the screwllpermits authorized adjustment with ease however, and in order toprevent total withdrawal of the blade19 when this screw` is loosened, astopl screwASSvis preferably provided, threaded through one of the arms7 and having its inner end'received in a notch 34 in saidblade 19.

In order that the roller or the like 31 may lie solidly upon both bevels28-29 and have its upper side in a truly horizontal plane forcontact'with the washer 32, the bevel 28 is .gradually thickened towardthe front end of the blade 18, the longitudinal inclination of' thisbevel and that of the bevel 29 being the same but in oppositedirections.

It will be seen from the foregoing that effective provision has beenmade for carrying out the objects of the invention and attention y neredges of its arms and a forwardly opening recess in its'arm-connectingportion communicating with said grooves, a rearwardly narrowed blade inthe groove of one arm and a forwardly narrowed blade in the groove oftially adjust said blade accurately to its proper position, and meansfor holding the two blades in spaced relation with each other.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; together with an attaching plateabutting the rearv end of said body and barring access to one of saidscrews, and rigid arms on said plate secured to the outer longitudinaledges of said body, one of these arms barring access to the other ofVsaid screws. Y

3. A thread cleaner comprising two blades having spaced thread-scrapingedges whose spacing is variable by relative longitudinal sliding of saidblades, the rear portions of said edges having downwardly convergingbevels, a body recessed to receive said blades, y

and thrust means engaging said bevels for thrusting one side of saidblades tightly against the body and for exerting a spreading force onthe blades to holdy their outer edges tightly against said body.

t. A thread cleaner comprising two blades having spaced thread-scrapingedges whose spacing is variable by relative longitudinal sliding ofsaidblades, the rear portions of said edges having downwardlyrconverging bevels, a body recessed to receive said blades, an elongatedmember lying against both of said bevels, and a. clamping screw threadedin said body to inwardly thrust said elongated member and hold one sideof the blades tightly against the body, also exerting a spreading-forceon the blades to hold their outer edges tightly against said body.

5. A thread cleaner comprising two blades having spaced thread-scrapingedges whose spacingis variable by relative longitudinal sliding of saidblades, the rear portions of said edges having downwardly convergingbevels, a body recessed to receive said blades, an elongated rollerlying against both of said bevels, a washer resting upon said roller,and a clamping screw threaded in said body and abutting said washer,said screw being adapted to inwardly thrust said washer and said roller,thereby causing'v the latter to tightly hold one side of saidbladesagainst the body and also causing a spreading force on said blades totightly hold their outer edges against the body.

6. Astruct-ure as specified in claim 3; the beveled portion of one ofsaid blades being gradually thickened toward its rear end to positivelyprevent it from being pulled forwardly.

7. A structure as specified in claim 4; the beveled portion of one ofsaid blades being gradually thickened toward its rear end to positivelyprevent it from being pulled for- Wardly, the other blade and said bodybeing provided With shoulders abutting the ends of said elongated memberto positively prevent sliding of said other blade. y

8. A structure as specified in claim 5; the opening of the body in whichsaid screw is received being enlarged at its inner end to receive saidWasher and having its side Wall in contact with the ends of said roller,one of said blades having shoulders at the ends of its bevel abuttingthe ends of said roller whereby this blade is positively held againstsliding, the other blade having its beveled portion gradually thickenedrearwardly to positively hold this blade against forward movement.

9. A structure as specified in claim 3; the outer edges of said bladesand the contacting surfaces of said body being at acuate angles to saidone side of said blades.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af- 20 Y iixed iny signature.

